A: I expect MWC24 to develop around four themes: AI across the board, meaning that the scope of CSPs' activities in AI will broaden and embrace every aspect of their technology and corporate life.

Secondly, network security and digital sovereignty will be central. Thirdly, and perhaps most importantly, B2B-related developments will be key for many CSPs. We will see a strong push from CSPs as suppliers of digital transformation services for enterprises. Of course, networking is still CSPs' leading product, but we will likely see them expanding into more transformative technologies.

Finally, ESG. For many years, we have seen telecom operators discussed how to cut energy consumption and carbon footprint. This year, we can expect CSPs to start offering some of their capabilities to third parties and turning from being part of the problem to being one of the solutions.

We are also going to see more of the “S” of ESG which is as important but relatively overlooked.

A: There are some elements of overhype in AI. It is probably one of the classic examples of overestimating the short-term effect and underestimating its long-term impact. 5G is currently overlooked, even though it does represent a paradigm shift for telecoms. 5G is indeed taking longer than anticipated to bear its fruits, but that does not take away from the fact that it is a revolutionary technology.

A: Any exhibitor with a good coffee catches my eye, but demo areas with robotics and XR are fascinating, anything that offers a glimpse into the future.

A: AI, and particularly GenAI, will be everywhere. It’s currently the hottest topic in tech and it will be hard to escape it. The evolution to 5G standalone will also be an important theme, while some companies may use MWC to place an early stake in the ground for 6G.

Private networks, open RAN, edge computing, satellite, network APIs, extended reality, and fixed wireless access will also dominate discussions. Underpinning everything will be a focus on sustainability and the environment.

A: GenAI offers many new opportunities to operators and they should already be moving to embrace them. The most obvious is customer care, helping automate responses to client enquiries or supporting agents to reply more quickly and accurately. It can also assist with network planning and configuration, identify potential faults and predict threats. In the future, telcos should partner with big tech to offer AI services to companies, support them on their digital journeys, help them reduce costs and achieve sustainability targets.

A: Reacquainting with old industry contacts and making new ones. MWC is such a brilliant networking event, where else can you speak to all the major industry players from around the world under a single roof? There’s always a buzz about the show and I particularly enjoy that first walk around the halls on the Monday morning, to see how each company is positioning itself.

A: With my regulatory and policy hat on, I’ll be looking to hear what the latest mood is in terms of mobile consolidation in Europe. Regulators seem more willing to consider such transactions, but it’s not clear competition authorities agree.

With key [EU] legislative instruments such as the DSA and DMA now in force, how the industry is preparing for compliance now becomes the focus. ‘Fair share’ may have dominated last year’s event, but this year surely AI is set to be the show’s biggest talking point.

A: For me, satellite is an important part of the connectivity patchwork, and I’d argue will only become more important, particularly as commercial rollouts of fixed and mobile technologies reach completion and only the hardest to reach places remain.

It has a super important role to play in reducing the digital divide, and of course supporting vital communications during natural disasters and emergencies. Expect to see further partnerships announced between satellite providers and operators.

A: It truly is a great opportunity to meet with colleagues and peers from across the industry, and from around the world. Those encounters over drinks and dinner are just as important as the content discussed in the halls and keynote theatres.

There are very few events where you can meet all in one place, albeit on a sometimes daunting scale!

A: This year's theme is "Future First," which brings together various industries to realise the potential of the future. AI, cloud, and edge will be the focus of numerous innovations.

Expect to see products and solutions for 5G-Advanced and RedCap (to support 5G IoT) by the vendor ecosystem while telcos give us a glimpse of their potential use cases. There are also likely to be innovations promoting sustainability and energy-efficiency.

Personally, I would love to see the use of robots beyond striking up conversations and doing mundane tasks and get a glimpse of how they can drive efficiencies while enabling digital transformation.

A: The term underhyped technology is not relevant to our industry. In the nascent stages of any technology or innovation, our industry has a history of overhyping expectations.

As to the current overhyped technology, I believe it must be AI. Undoubtedly, AI has the potential to transform business solutions, increase productivity, and drive efficiencies.

However, the pace at which the industry is developing AI solutions without considering the risks and challenges makes it overhyped.

A: There is a long list of reasons. MWC is a one-stop place to connect with the industry leaders and decision makers. It’s an opportunity to gain first hand experience of the latest trends and innovations, as well as understanding how they are shaping the future.

The immense networking opportunities at the show makes it simple to connect with the wider industry. Most importantly, as a GSMA team member, the sense of pride I feel after experiencing the energy and vibrancy of MWC is unparalleled.